Process for the manufacture of phosphorus pentasulfide of predetermined reactivity



Patented Apr. 30, 1968 area of the powder to be calculated, are indicated in 3,330,808 the following table: PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PHOSPHORUS PENTASULFIDE F PRE- Grinding period Surface r Reactivity DETERMINED REACTIVITY (mm) mt/50g) Hermann Niermann, Bruhl, near Cologne, and Heinz F. 0 2,100 31 Harnisch, Lovenich, near Cologne, Germany, assignors 3 6,800 78 to Knapsack Aktiengesellschaft, Knapsack, near Cog3 gggg $38 logne, Germany, a corporation of Germany 120 231500 250 No Drawing. Filed Nov. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 506,880

4 Claims- The reactivity was determined as follows:

50 grams P 8 in scale form were placed into a calorimeter provided with a thermometer and an agitator and charged with 100 cc. ethyl hexanol having a tem- ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A process whereby fine-grained phosphorus pentasulperature of C. After the P 8 had been introduced fide having a low predetermined reactivity of to 10 15 into the ethyl hexanol, the temperature increase in the per hour is prepared by initially grinding to a desired calorimeter was continuously measured while the agigrain size, and thereafter annealing the material at about tator was kept running. The inclination of the temper- 140180 C. for about 15-48 hours. ature-time-straight line served as an index for the reactivity, and the temperature increase in C. per hour 20 served as a unit of measure. The following table indicates The present invention relates to a process for the the measured values:

Annealing temperature,0.. 180 200 210 220 Reactivity after- 24 hrs 360 210 120 40 36 10.0 2.0 1.2 1.0 48 hrs 360 200 36 18 11.5 11.5 4.2 3.5 1.0 1.0

manufacture of phosphorus pentasulfide of predeter- 30 The present invention now provides a process for makmined reactivity by annealing. ing fine grained P 5 of low, predeterminable reactivity,

The influence the temperature may exert on the rewherein solidified P 5 in flake or scale form, such as activity of phosphorus pentasulfide is known. For eX- obtained by a conventional process by allowing a P 5 ample, German Specification No. 1,147,923 indicates melt to solidify, is first ground so as to produce mathat the manner of cooling a P S -melt determines the 35 terial having a desired grain size and the ground mareactivity of P 5 Slow cooling results in products havterial is successively annealed. ing a reactivity lower than products obtained by rapid Grinding low reactivity P S -flakes 0r scales results in cooling. the reactivity of P 8 being considerably increased, but

German Specification No. 1,150,659 describes a procannealing ground P 8 enables material of predetermined ess for reducing the reactivity of P 8 wherein a prod- 40 low reactivity to be produced in view of the fact that net, such as obtained after allowing a phosphorus pentathe equation: sulfide melt to solidify, is annealed at a temperature between 150 C. and the melting point of P 8 for a period C -10g (C2R) +log C2 sufiicient to obtain P 8 having a predetermined degree f reactivity 45 in which C and C mean constants, R means the re- German Specification No. 1,171,883 discloses that activity, a means the energy of activation and T means p 3 f improved reactivity is b i when a p 5 the absolute temperature, permits calculating the remelt is allowed directly to cool down to room temperactlvity for sufliciently large and Comparable annealing ature periods.

The manufacturing conditions used in these conven- 50 Producing a reactivity f 0 to 10 C. per hour, tional processes incur the formation of P S flakes or ground and fine-grained Phosphorus pentasulfidfi i8 scales These require i i and corresponding nealed at a temperature of between 140 and C. for duction in grain i when a fi i d product is a period of 15 to 48 hours, preferably about 24 hours. desired to be obtained with the result that the 1 s prop- Preferably, h fine-srainedrowder ground p p r erties are difi d is the i i reactivity of 5 55 pentasulfide 1s annealed 1n contalners filled therewith is increased and placed in a temperature-regulated space, i.e., a heat- The following experiment demonstrates that the inmg cabmet' crease in reactivity of annealed P S -scales is a func- EXAMPLE tion of the grinding period or surface area of the ma- Liquid phosphorus pentasulfide was placed at about terial. 60 350 C. into the heated basin below a dip roll. The

Annealed 2 5 in Scale form with a ivity f 30 dip roll was cooled with water at 20 c. and rotated C./hr. was ground for different periods of time in a ball at a speed of 10 rpm. The P 8 solidified wi hi 3 mill. The reactivity of the single specimens was deteronds on the roll surface area in a layer 0.6 mm. thick mined and the material subjected to screen analysis. The 65 and was scraped off in the form of scales by means of screen analysis data, which permitted the total surface a knife. The material scraped off had a temperature of 8590 C. The scales were ground and heated in sealed barrels for 24 hours at 150 and 180 C., respectively. After having been annealed, the reactivity was 30 C./ hr. and 11 C./hr., respectively.

We claim:

1. A process for making fine-grained phosphorus pentasulfide having a low predetermined reactivity of 40-10 C. per hour comprising grinding solidified P 8 to obtain granular material having a desired grain size and thereafter annealing the granular material at a temperature of about 140-180 C. for about 1548 hours. 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the phosphorus pentasulfide is annealed for a period of about 24 hours.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the solidified P 5 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,146,069 8/1964 Rohota 23206 3,183,062 5/1965 Taylor 23206 3,282,653 11/1966 Robota 23-273 OSCAR R. VERTIZ, Primary Examiner.

G. PETERS, Assistant Examiner. 

